A legal system based on judicial decisions and precedents rather than written statutes, developed in medieval England and spread throughout the British Empire. Common law evolves through court rulings and emphasizes the principle of stare decisis.
From Anglo-Norman 'commune ley,' meaning law common to the entire kingdom, as opposed to local customs. Developed under Henry II in the 12th century to create unified legal standards across England, replacing the patchwork of local and regional laws.
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